Happy New Year & Changes!

The last couple of months have been extremely hectic, with the holidays, commissions, travel and working at my day job.

That being said, I apologize to all of my friends, peers and those that follow this blog that I have not updated on a more regular schedule.  It is something I am going to strive to change this new year.  I have a lot going on in my personal life, but I am going to strive to schedule something each week, at a minimum, for you.

Another change that will be occuring in the new year, I will no longer have a shop on Artfire.com.  I will not go into reasons why, besides that there is a change in business policy that I have a very strong belief.  I cannot align myself with a company that I disagree with or feel has acted unprofessional.

On that note, I will be maintaining my Zibbet shop, which I plan to reopen at the beginning of the year.  I am going through my inventory, taking stock and will be uploading new items.  I also started my online venture on Etsy and might reopen that shop, but at the moment, it is unknown.

In the meantime, stay connected to bewitchingdreams.com for more information!  I will keep everyone posted on my plans, new projects and ventures in the near future.

Happy New Year!!!

Whimsical Wednesdays

Wednesday is here again...and I don't know about you, but I am eagerly awaiting the weekend!  In the meantime, I wanted to show you a few of C. Newcomb's Woodworking designs.  Chris does an amazing job, taking a simple piece of wood and turning into a masterpiece.  From pens to signs, awareness ornaments to miniatures, there is something for everyone on your gift list.  

Who would not love their own handmade wooden pen and pencil set, made from apricot wood?

What's that you say?  That special someone has lost all ability to write due to the advancement of computers and texting?  Say no more!  They can sit leisurely at their desk or on the couch and massage away their cares with a handmade Tambootie Foot Massager!  

Or for that special person, you could give them the most unique razor they will ever have the pleasure of owning, a handturned turquoise acrylic Mach3/Venus razor with chrome accents.  

These are just a few of the many items Chris has in his store.  He also has ice cream scoops, business card holders, Breast Cancer Awareness ornaments, birdhouses, chess set and much more.  Stop by his shop today to start your holiday shopping early!

Where does the time go?

Wow, I cannot believe that October is already over and November has started.  I have coworkers who are counting down the days until Christmas and the holidays already!  

For those of you that have dropped by my Artfire store, or notice the Rapid Cart on this blog does not have my normal items, it is because I put my shop on vacation for the next week. :)  My items will be in an upcoming craft fair in Tennessee and I am busy getting everything ready for it.  I plan to reopen my shop next week, so please check back.

Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at bewitchingdreams@yahoo.com.

Have a wonderful day!

Whimsical Wednesdays

This week, our featured artist is Victoria from Butterfly-Crafts.  Victoria does beautiful handmade cards that are original and worthy of being framed.

Check out her latest Halloween Cards, such as this adorable one with a mouse peeking out of a jack-o'lantern

Looking for something for the winter holiday season?  Victoria has you covered there with these wonderful holiday ornaments!  She even has it set up for you to pre-order one, so you can spread the cost out more effectively and still have handmade ornaments for your holiday!

Victoria doesn't stop there, she has jewelry, soap, pins, coasters and key rings!  Everything you need for the perfect gift, along with a beautiful card to go with your handmade gift.  Stop by her shop and check out her latest additions, sure to please anyone!

 

Whimsical Wednesdays

Welcome to Whimsical Wednesday!  This week, I am featuring Polymer Clay Smooshers guild member Perrie from Mortimer Inc.

Perrie has some beautiful creations, such as this Black and White Leaf Pin that features Black Pearls.  This brooch is both elegant and breathtaking, complimenting any ensemble.

These faux Ivory earrings are absolutely stunning and would look fabulous for any occasion, though I keep envisioning wearing these to a museum gallery.

This Victorian Lady Pendant will add style to your outfit, bringing a touch of class with modern style.

Be sure to check out all of Perrie's polymer clay work at her Artfire shop, Mortimer Inc.!

Happy Labor Day!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend, for those able to celebrate it!  I have been working on a couple of projects, but I spent most of my weekend shopping for new supplies to play with! 

I picked up some Super Sculpey for the first time, along with some new wooden bases, wire for armatures and I placed an order for Magic Sculpt, after reading about it for the past month.


When I wasn't planning new projects, I was trying out new recipes.  I stumbled across this yummy Broccoli-Cheese Soup recipe on my new favorite site, Pinterest.  We did make some minor adjustments...I added three more cups of milk/cream and another two cups of chicken stock.  Next time, I'll bump up the roux to make a thicker soup, but it tasted amazing with fresh broccoli and cheddar cheese.

Here's a picture of how it turned out...before it disappeared! :D  Excuse the messy bowl...it tasted too good to clean up the picture and I couldn't resist the smell any longer!

Whimsical Wednesdays

Due to some conflicts, I have moved my weekly feature from Mondays to Wednesdays!  Now, you will have a mid-week boost of creative beauty.  

This week, we are focusing on Life Art Designs, from the Polymer Clay Smooshers guild.  Not only does Janie work in polymer clay designs, but also in precious metal clay, a medium I find fascinating.  

She does beautiful work, here is just a sample of some of her work.  Check out her shop for more items!

Maroon and Pink Flowered Bracelet

Dangling Feather Earrings

Precious Metal Clay Two Dolphins Fine Silver Pendant

Hurricane Irene

I am hoping all are okay from the hurricane that went through the eastern coast this weekend.  We ended up with some rain and wind, but nothing major.  

Having been through hurricanes previously when I lived on the coast, I was prepared for what to expect, but I know many were not.  My thoughts and prayers with all of those that were affected this weekend.

I took this picture on my drive home from work on Friday evening, just as the rain bands began to come inland in our area.

Several of us on Artfire placed our shops on vacation due to possible power outages and wanting to inform our customers that we might be unable to fill orders as quickly as usual.  I am glad to say most of us are back up and running. :)

Marvelous Mondays - CatsWire

Welcome to the next Marvelous Mondays!  This week, we are focusing on CatsWire!

CatsWire, like many Smooshers, doesn't just focus on clay, but branches into a multitude of mediums. She combines her talents to bring out the best of her creations.

In this piece, she combines her talent with polymer clay and needlelace to create this unique and beautiful set of earrings.

  Faux ivory polymer clay earrings with needlelace

In this piece, she combines a beautiful shell with her talent in needlelace to create a one of a kind pendant.

Needlelace shell pendant with pearls

This beautiful pendant is a rose made of polymer clay, held tenderly with wire crochet.

Wire crochet and carved polymer clay rose necklace

Another great example of CatsWire wire crochet is this adorable octopus pendant, who is holding on tightly to lampwork bead by Deronda.

Wire crochet deepwater octopus pendant with lampwork

These are just a few of the amazing pieces in CatsWire's Artfire shop!

Be sure to check back next Monday for the next featured artist!

Tickle Me Pink

The theme for this week's blog post in the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild is Tickle Me Pink!

Clay Cat shop has this beautiful mother and baby fairy sculpture to celebrate the joy of life.

 

Kneaded Things created this beautiful butterfly and flower light switch cover.

  Positively Charming Things created this adorable unicorn...I grew up collecting unicorns and they always made me smile, since my grandmother was the person that introduced them to me.

Check out this beautiful pendant from Valerie's Stuff.

Smooshers Christmas in July Sale!!!

It's blazing hot outside....you cannot even climb out of your car without breaking into a sweat.  It is so hot, farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to prevent them from laying hardboiled eggs!


Corny jokes aside...

So, what better time to do your Holiday shopping?  From the comfort of your own home, start perusing through the participating shops in the Polymer Clay Smooshers guild and get great prices! 

Everyone listed is having a sale for the month of July and this is a great time to pick up that little item that has always caught your eye, or to start early on your stocking stuffers!  No crowds, no blaring music, no screaming children and best of all, your own environmental controlled shopping environment!


Have a gander at what the participating shops have available!

• AmazingDesigns
• ArtAsylum
• ArtFairlyAware
• ArtmakersWorlds
• averilpam
• BeadsByHaffina
• BewitchingDreams
• BLeeKreations
• bluemorningexpressions
• CatsWire
• claycatshop (On vacation but will be back after July 10th)
• cnewcomb
• ColtPixy
• CreativeCritters
• DanasJewelryEtc
• DesertWindDesigns
• DreamWeaversDesigns
• HaffinaCreations
• HaffinasMinis
• handarbeitskram
• HarrisonHollowDesigns
• Lifeartdesigns
• MortimerInc
• mypolymerclaycanes
• phoenixartstudio
• rivervalleydesign
• sassyclaycreations (On vacation but will be back after July 8th)
• Strangewhimsy
• tonjastreasures
• valeriesstuff
• valldawnsjewelrydesigns

Enter to win handmade soap of your choice!

Who doesn't love a good handmade soap?  MzzThang has every scent you could possibly want to try, from Blackberry Sage to Rosemary to Lavender to Mango!  

Whether you want a relaxing scent at the end of a stressful day or something invigorating to wake you up in the morning, MzzThang has you covered!

Now, until July 8th, she is giving you the opportunity to win three full size bars to try out at home!  All you have to do to enter is follow her blog and follow the instructions at the bottom of the page.  It's easy and you will smell much better for it!

Marvelous Mondays

I promised you last month that I would be unveiling a new weekly feature.  This Monday feature serves two purposes, for one, it makes me do a minimum of a weekly post for you ;) and two, I want to showcase some of the amazing talent that is in the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild.

There are so many artists in our guild, which you can always peruse through by clicking on the above link or looking to the side of my blog.

Today, I want to explore the shop of ColtPixy, the guild leader and inspiration of the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild.


She has such a wonderful eye for color and texture.  She is able to take nearly anything and create something magical from it, such as this ivy-covered egg, a popular piece in many collections on Artfire.com.  And yes, this was a real chicken egg that she covered with clay...amazing.

Filigree Egg with Flowers

ColtPixy is also well known in the guild and among friends for her bunny booty.  I even featured her a few months ago when she was running a special sale for the Chinese New Year, Year of the Rabbit.  She creates these using the Mica Shift technique and has mastered it.  I have a piece and I am constantly amazed by the skill and professional finish that her pieces always have.

Blue Egg Pendant

Lately, she has branched into owls.  I am lucky enough that she created one especially for me in exchange for one of my hermit crabs.  I feel like I came out ahead on this deal!  Her owls have such personality and the feathers are amazingly detailed, as you can see with this little fellow.  These owls will instantly increase your IQ, I guarantee it.

Wise Little Owl

You would think that these types of projects would keep her plenty busy, but ColtPixy is always looking for the newest technique or medium to branch into.  She is always being inspired by something around her.  Recently, she has delved into using the Sutton Slice technique...creating these beautiful boxes for keepsakes.

Black and White Mosaic Jewelry Box

I highly recommend that you drop by ColtPixy's shop for professional and unique gifts that you will not find anywhere else.  She has amazing customer service and will bend over backwards to make certain you are satisfied with your purchase.

Tune in Next Monday for the next featured artist!

Glorious Oranges

I promise that I have not fallen off the face of the planet, though it has felt like it for the past few weeks.  I plan to be introducing a weekly feature on my blog soon...so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I wanted to feature some of the wonderfully talented Polymer Clay Smooshers guild that incorporated the beautiful color of orange into their pieces.  What a happy color and gorgeous pieces!

This adorable butterfly created by HarrisonHollowDesigns is the perfect complement to your favorite potted plant or garden.

These dainty orange flowers make the perfect accessory for your summer outfit!  By HandmadeSpecialties

VixenJewels created this beautiful necklace, embracing gorgeous citrus colors.

 

Speaking of citrus, this orange cane by ArtmakersWorlds looks good enough to eat!

 

The Beauty of Pastels

When I was young, I was a tomboy and definitely did not appreciate the beauty of pastels.  As I have grown older, I have become more appreciative the subtle hues that pastels bring to our every day lives.  I find my eyes drawn to them, whether in the gentle flowers in nature or to the beautiful pieces of artwork that can be found in the Polymer Clay Smooshers guild.


Here are just a few of my favorite pastel pieces:

2 Good Claymates has these beautiful pastel clam shell beads that are handcrafted from polymer clay in her Artfire store.  I absolutely love the subtle highlights in the shells.

DanasJewelryEtc has the most adorable custom made to order rabbits.  You can get them in a multitude of colors, but her pastel rabbits are absolutely adorable!

LifeArtDesigns has a beautiful pastel pink and brass bracelet that is just a wonderful accessory for spring!

These one of a kind pastel polymer clay earrings by Phoenixartstudio are stunning!  I love the hues  that are expressed in this piece.

Tribal Challenge Pieces

Every month, the Polymer Clay Smooshers guild has a theme challenge that is voted on by our fans.  This month, the challenge is Tribal.  

There have been some great entries so far on our forums, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek at my entries:

Megalodon Polymer Tooth Key Chain

This piece was inspired by my love of fossils and collecting them.  I have been on digs hunting for megalodon teeth and even have a small one, about 1.5" in length.  For the record, the really good teeth measure about six inches in length.  These prehistoric sharks were huge!

 Tribal Orca key chain

My Tribal Orca key chain was inspired by my love for orcas.  Ever since I was seven years old, I have studied about orcas and their cetacean cousins.  This piece was inspired by the Inuit style of totems that I have seen. 

Army of Crabs

So, my recent obsession has been making crabs...little polymer hermit crabs.  Tiny crabs, large crabs...

 

This idea has actually been percolating in my head for years.  I have collected shells for the past 25 years,  whenever I have traveled to Florida and while I lived on the coast for several years.  I collect shells in many different ways, whether it's strolling down the beach during the early morning sunrise with my mom, skin diving with my dad or perusing a local favorite shell shop in St. Augustine with my boyfriend.  

 

Each experience nearly always brings me to encounter a hermit crab...whether it's being sold in the shell shop or by accidentally picking up a live one in the ocean while diving.  That's always a shock to go through your shell bag on the beach only to realize you have a half dozen crabs clinging to the sides and glaring at you in anger for taking them away from their home.  Ok, so maybe I'm projecting the emotion of "anger" onto a crab, but you have to take those pinchers seriously!

 My love of hermit crabs comes from my mom (and these random encounters with the wild variety).  Mom taught kindergarten for 34 years and for the majority of that time, she had hermit crabs in the classroom.  They became part of the family, especially during the summer months when the current "Kermit" or "Sheldon" would come home.  Our cat, Chaser, was fascinated and would watch the aquarium for hours as the crab clinked around the glass with his shell.

So, all of these experiences blended together, crying out for a way for me to immortalize them in some fashion.  While organizing my storage closet a couple of weeks ago, I found a beaten up toolbox from my grandfather.  When I opened it, I found dozens and dozens of shells, if not hundreds.  I started laying the different varieties on my desk and realized, I could make my own army of crabs!  Not only would I be able to display these beautiful shells collected over the years, I can share my love of the ocean's creatures with others.

 

I hope you enjoy these latest creations from Bewitching Dreams!

Owls!

This will be a quick little post, but I had to share the excitement!  

First, our Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild has passed 1000 fans on Facebook!  Yay!

In honor of that, our guild leader, ColtPixy is giving away one of her absolutely adorable owls!  To enter the contest, just go to their Facebook page and comment!  It's that simple and you get to pick your favorite of the three!

 

The Smooshers Fairy Tale Theme Challenge Entries Are In!

The Fairy Tale Theme Challenge is over and the entries have been posted!  The members really went above and beyond with the entries.  Every piece is amazingly done and shows the creativity of the guild.  There are twenty two pieces in all.

Here is a sample of a few of the entries, please visit the Smooshers page to view all of them and vote on what theme our next challenge should be!  You have a choice between Nature, Sci-Fi, Celtic or Tribal.  Vote Today!

Year of the Bunny, pt. 2!

So, earlier this last month, I featured some of the selections of cute bunnies to begin celebrating the Year of the Rabbit from the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild.

Thursday is the Chinese New Year, have you gotten your lucky rabbit yet?

If not, then you should really pick one up, don't you think?

Take a gander at ColtPixy's wonderful selection of bunny butts!  Sure to bring a smile to anyone's new year!

Year of the Rabbit

   Curated By: ColtPixy

ArtFire.com

Unique Gifts

I have already purchased mine, have you got your lucky rabbit bunny butt? :D